IN  THE  COUNCIL 

Regular  Session  1913-14 


COUNCIL  BILL  No.  255 


Introduced  by  MR.  FLETCHER 


First  Reading  Oct.  31,  1913 
Second  Reading  Nov.  4,  1913 
Referred  to  Committee  on  Legislation 


DAVID  W.  VOYLES 

Secretary 


AN  ORDINANCE 

1 prohibiting  the  exhibition  of  obscene  and  immoral  pictures, 

2 and  regulating  the  exhibition  of  pictures  of  the  classes  and 

3 kinds  commonly  shown  in  mutoscopes,  kinetoscopes,  cine- 

4 metographs  and  penny  arcades,  and  providing  penalties  for 

5 violation  thereof. 

(See  page  5;  Report  on  laws  of  other  cities.) 


Be  it  Ordained 


; ' 'v. 


by  the  Municipal  Assembly  of  the  City  of  St. 
Louis,  as  follows: 

Section  One.  That  it  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person, 
firm  or  corporation  (all  hereinafter  included  under  the 
term  “exhibitor”)  to  show  or  exhibit  in  a public  place,  or 
in  a place  where  the  public  is  admitted,  anywhere  in  the 
City  of  St.  Louis,  any  picture,  or  series  of  pictures,  of  the 
classes  or  kinds  commonly  shown  in  mutoscopes,  kineto- 
scopes,  cinemetographs,  and  such  pictures,  or  series  of  pic- 
tures, as  are  commonly  shown  or  exhibited  in  so-called 
penny  arcades,  and  in  all  other  automatic  or  moving  picture 
devices,  whether  an  admission  fee  is  charged  or  not,  with- 
out first  having  secured  a permit  therefor  from  the  Chief 
of  Police  of  the  City  of  St.  Louis* 

Section  Two.  Before  any  such  permit  is  granted  an 
application  in  writing  shall  be  made  therefor,  and  the 
plates,  films,  rolls  or  other  like  apparatus  by  or  from 
which  such  picture,  or  series  of  pictures,  is  shown  or  pro- 
duced, or  the  picture,  or  the  series  of  pictures,  itself  as 
shown  or  exhibited,  shall  be  shown  to  the  Chief  of  Police, 
who  shall  inspect,  or  cause  to  be  inspected,  such  plate,  film, 
roll  or  apparatus,  or  such  picture,  or  series  of  pictures, 
and  within  three  days  after  such  inspection  he  shall  either 
grant  or  deny  the  permit.  ,ln  case  a permit  is  granted  it 
shall  be  in  writing,  and  in  such  form  as  the  Chief  of  Police 
may  prescribe,  and  wherever  feasible,  the  Chief  of  Police 
shall,  by  a suitable  stamp  or  imprint  placed  therein, 
identify,  or  cause  to  be  identified,  the  picture,  or  series  of 
pictures,  for  which  such  permit  is  issued. 

Section  Three.  If  a picture,  or  series  of  pictures,  for  the 
showing  or  exhibition  of  which  an  application  for  a permit 


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is  made  is  immoral  or  obscene,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the 
Chief  of  Police  to  refuse  such  permit,  otherwise  it  shall 
be  his  duty  to  grant  such  permit. 

Section  Four.  In  case  the  Chief  of  Police  shall  refuse  to 
grant  a permit,  the  applicant  may  appeal  to  the  Mayor. 
Such  appeal  shall  be  presented  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
original  application  to  the  Chief  of  Police.  The  action  of 
the  Mayor  upon  any  application  for  a permit  shall  be  final. 

Section  Five.  The  permit  herein  provided  for  shall  be 
obtained  for  each  and  every  picture,  or  series  of  pictures, 
exhibited,  and  shall  be  required  in  addition  to  any  other 
license  or  other  imposition  now  required  by  law  or  city 
ordinance.  No  fee  or  tax  of  any  kind  whatsoever  shall  be 
charged  or  exacted  for  such  permit. 

Section  Six.  When  a permit  to  show  a picture,  or  series 
of  pictures,  is  once  granted  to  an  exhibitor,  the  picture, 
or  series  of  pictures,  may  be  shown  by  any  other  exhibitor, 
provided  that  the  written  permit  is  actually  delivered  to 
such  other  exhibitor.  Any  number  of  transfers  or  leases 
of  the  same  picture,  or  series  of  pictures,  may  be  made, 
provided  always  that  the  permit  is  actually  delivered  to 
the  transferee  or  lessee.  The  exhibition  by  any  transferee 
or  lessee  of  any  permitted  picture,  or  series  of  pictures, 
without  such  permit,  shall  be  considered  a violation  of  this 
ordinance,  and  each  day’s  exhibition  by  a transferee  or 
lessee  of  each  picture,  or  series  of  pictures,  without  such 
permit  shall  be  a distinct  and  separate  offense. 

Section  Seven.  The  written  permit  herein  provided  for 
shall  be  posted  at  or  near  the  entrance  to  the  theatre,  hall, 
room  or  place  where  any  permitted  picture,  or  series  of 


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pictures,  is  being  exhibited,  at  such  a place  and  in  such  a 
position  that  it  may  easily  and  readily  be  read  by  any 
person  entering  such  theatre,  hall,  room  or  place,  at  any 
time  when  any  such  permitted  picture,  or  series  of  pictures, 
is  being  exhibited,  whether  in  the  day  time  or  in  the  night 
time,  except  that  in  the  case  of  mutoscopes,  and  so-called 
penny  arcades,  such  permit  shall  be  posted  in  such  a 
position  on  the  box,  apparatus  or  other  device,  wherein  or 
whereby  a permitted  picture,  or  series  of  pictures,  is  being 
exhibited,  so  that  such  permit  may  be  easily  and  readily 
read  by  any  person  at  any  time,  when  any  such  permitted 
picture,  or  series  of  pictures,  is  being  exhibited,  whether 
in  the  day  time  or  night  time.  The  exhibition  of  any  such 
permitted  picture,  or  series  of  pictures,  without  the  posting 
of  the  permit  as  herein  provided,  shall  be  considered  a vio- 
lation of  this  ordinance,  and  each  day’s  exhibition  of  any 
such  permitted  picture,  or  series  of  pictures,  without  the 
posting  of  the  permit  as  herein  provided,  shall  be  consid- 
ered a distinct  and  separate  offense. 

Section  Eight.  Anyone  violating  the  terms  of  this  ordi- 
nance shall  be  fined  not  less  than  twenty-five  dollars 
($25.00)  nor  more  than  five  hundred  dollars  ($500.00)  for 
each  offense.  Every  day’s  exhibition  of  each  picture,  or 
series  of  pictures,  without  a permit  shall  be  a distinct  and 
separate  offense. 

Section  Nine.  This  ordinance  shall  apply  to  all  pictures, 
or  series  of  pictures,  whether  the  same  are  now  being 
shown  or  exhibited,  or  may  hereafter  be  shown  or  exhibited. 


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/ 


CENSORSHIP 

OF 

MOTION  PICTURE  FILMS 


REPORT  TO  THE  CITY  COUNCIL,  BY 

ANDREW  LINN  BOSTWICK 

MUNICIPAL  REFERENCE  LIBRARIAN 

The  following  is  a summary  of  proposed  and  existing  legis- 
lation and  practice  in  certain  cities,  states  and  countries,  relat- 
ing to  official  censorship  of  motion  picture  films,  and  is  presented 
for  the  information  of  the  members  of  the  St.  Louis  Municipal 
Assembly  in  connection  with  the  ordinance  now  proposed  in  this 
city. 

New  York. 

Attempts  have  been  made  to  establish  municipal  censorship, 
but  so  far  they  have  been  unsuccessful.  A comprehensive  mo- 
tion picture  ordinance  was  vetoed  by  Mayor  Gaynor  early  in 
1913,  because  it  provided  for  censorship.  The  Mayor  believed 
that  censorship  was  unnecessary,  illegal,  and  contrary  to  the 
fundamental  principles  of  our  government,  although  a majority 
of  the  Board  of  Aldermen  were  of  a different  opinion.  An  ordi- 
nance introduced  in  October,  1913  (now  pending),  provides  as 
follows : 

The  power  of  censorship  is  given  to  the  Bureau  of  Licenses, 
and  permits  must  be  granted  by  the  Bureau  for  all  films  to  be 
exhibited.  No  permit  shall  be  granted  until  an  application 
therefor  has  been  made,  nor  until  the  film  and  the  picture  itself 
have  been  passed  on  by  censors  authorized  by  the  Department 
of  Education  from  its  teaching  or  examining  staff,  and  a letter 


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of  approval  received  by  the  Bureau  from  the  censors.  If  the 
picture  is  indecent,  or  portrays  murder,  assault,  robbery,  etc., 
the  Bureau  of  Licenses  must  refuse  to  issue  any  permit,  but 
if  the  picture  is  proper,  and  has  been  approved,  the  permit  shall 
be  granted,  and  films  of  certain  types  may  also  be  approved  for 
Sunday  exhibition.  In  case  of  refusal  to  issue  a permit,  appeal 
may  be  had  to  the  Mayor.  No  fee  shall  be  charged  for  the 
issuing  of  permits.  Permits  are  transferable,  but  must  always 
be  actually  delivered  to  the  transferee  with  the  film,  and  be 
posted  in  the  place  of  exhibition.  Each  day’s  exhibition  of  any 
film  for  which  a permit  is  not  posted  constitutes  a violation  of 
the  ordinance.  The  Bureau  of  Licenses  is  required  to  keep  a 
numerical  and  an  alphabetical  record  of  permits  issued. 
Chicago. 

This  city  has  a police  censorship,  as  shown  by  the  following 
regulations : 

1625.  Permit  required  to  exhibit  moving  pictures.  It 

shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person,  firm  or  corporation  to  show 
or  exhibit  in  a public  place,  or  in  a place  where  the  public 
is  admitted,  anywhere  in  the  City  of  Chicago,  any  picture 
or  series  of  pictures  of  the  classes  or  kinds  commonly  shown 
in  mutoscopes,  kinetoscopes,  cinemetographs,  and  such  pic- 
tures or  series  of  pictures  as  are  commonly  shown  or  ex- 
hibited in  so-called  penny  arcades,  and  in  all  other  automatic 
or  moving  picture  devices,  whether  an  admission  fee  is 
charged  or  not,  without  first  having  secured  a permit  there- 
for from  the  general  superintendent  of  police  of  the  City  of 
Chicago. 

1626.  Application  for  permit.  Before  any  such  permit 
is  granted,  an  application  in  writing  shall  be  made  therefor, 
and  the  plates,  films,  rolls  or  other  like  apparatus  by  or 


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from  which  such  picture  or  series  of  pictures  are  shown  or 
produced,  or  the  picture  or  series  of  pictures  itself  is  shown 
or  exhibited,  shall  be  shown  to  the  general  superintendent 
of  police,  who  shall  inspect,  or  cause  to  be  inspected,  such 
plates,  films,  rolls  or  apparatus,  or  such  picture  or  series'of 
pictures,  and  within  three  days  after  such  inspection  he  shall 
either  grant  or  deny  the  permit.  In  case  a permit  is  granted 
it  shall  be  in  writing  and  in  such  form  as  the  general  super- 
intendent of  police  may  prescribe. 

162V.  Immoral  pictures — permit  not  to  be  granted.  If  a 
picture  or  series  of  pictures  for  the  showing  or  exhibition 
of  which  an  application  for  a permit  is  made,  is  immoral  or 
obscene,  or  portrays  any  riotous,  disorderly  or  other*  unlaw- 
ful scene,  or  has  a tendency  to  disturb  the  public  peace,  it 
shall  be  the  duty  of  the  general  superintendent  of  police  to 
refuse  such  permit;  otherwise,  it  shall  be  his  duty  to  grant 
such  permit. 

1628.  No  transfer  of  objectionable  films — confiscation — 

penalty.  In  case  a permit  shall  be  refused  for  any  such  mov- 
ing picture  plates,  films,  rolls  or  other  like  articles  or 
apparatus  from  which  a series  of  pictures  for  public  exhibi- 
tion can  be  produced,  it  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person, 
firm  or  corporation  to  le^se  or  transfer  the  same  to  any 
exhibitor  of  moving  pictures,  or  otherwise  put  same  into 
circulation  for  purposes  of  exhibition  within  the  city. 

In  every  case  where  such  objectionable  moving  picture 
plates,  films,  rolls  or  other  like  articles  or  apparatus  from 
which  a series  of  pictures  for  public  exhibition  can  be  pro- 
duced shall  be  put  into  circulation  contrary  to  the  provi- 
sions of  this  section,  the  same  shall  be  confiscated,  and  in 
addition  thereto  the  persons,  firm  or  corporation  so  leasing, 
transferring  or  putting  the  same  into  circulation  shall  be 
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fined  not  less  than  fifty  dollars  nor  more  than  two  hundred 
dollars  for  each  offense. 

Cleveland  (See  also  Ohio). 

In  January,  1913,  the  various  film  companies  co-operated 
with  the  city  in  a voluntary  censorship  scheme,  by  which  all 
films  were  examined  before  exhibition.  This  system  was  very 
successful.  The  State  of  Ohio  has  just  passed  a censorship 
law,  which  will  be  considered  later. 

Detroit. 

The  Detroit  law  is  very  similar  to  that  of  Chicago. 

San  Francisco. 

The  provision  for  censorship  in  San  Francisco  is  as  follows: 
Moving  Picture  Film  Censorship.  Ordinance. 

San  Francisco. 

Ord.  No.  761,  New  Series,  as  amended  by  Ordi- 
nance No.  826,  New  Series.  1909.  Rev.  Ord., 
p.  592. 

Section  4.  For  the  purpose  of  enforcing  the  provisions 
of  this  ordinance  and  preventing  immoral  pictures  being 
displayed,  and  acts  of  violence  depicted  in  such  detail  as  to 
offend  public  morality  and  decency,  an  advisory  committee 
is  hereby  authorized,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  inspect  all 
moving  pictures  being  displayed  or  exhibited,  and  all  moving 
pictures  intended  for  exhibition  prior  to  their  being  dis- 
played. It  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  advisory  committee  to 
prosecute,  or  cause  to  be  prosecuted,  by  proper  legal  pro- 
ceedings, all  persons,  firms,  associations  or  corporations 
who  violate  any  of  the  provisions  of  this  ordinance.  The 
public  exhibition  of  any  picture  thus  objected  to  shall  be 
deemed  sufficient  cause  for  the  revocation  of  any  permit 
theretofor  granted  by  the  Board  of  Police  Commissioners. 
Said  advisory  committee  shall  be  constituted  and  appointed 


as  follows:  One  member  of  such  committee  shall  be  ap- 

pointed respectively  by  the  Mayor,  by  the  Board  of  Educa- 
tion, the  Board  of  Police  Commissioners,  the  Society  for  the 
Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Children!  and  the  Moving  Picture 
Exhibitors’  Association,  each  member  to  serve  during  the 
pleasure  of  the  officer  or  body  making  the  appointment. 

Said  advisory  committee,  and  the  members  thereof,  shall 
have  the  right  to  freely  enter  any  place  or  building  wherein 
moving  pictures  are  displayed  or  entertainments  given,  at 
any  or  all  times,  for  the  purpose  of  inspecting  any  pictures 
that  may  be  exhibited,  or  in  the  performance  of  any  duty 
required  to  be  performed  by  this  ordinance. 

(This  is  an  extract  from  the  ordinance  showing 
the  make-up  and  duties  of  the  Censorship 
Board.) 

Information  from  the  Board  of  Censorship  received  in  June, 
1913,  is  to  the  effect  that  the  present  ordinance  has  several  de- 
fects. It  does  not  specify  who  is  to  pay  the  expenses  of  review- 
ing the  films  before  exhibition,  and  this  has  caused  a great  deal 
of  trouble.  The  system  now  in  force  is  to  have  the  police 
member  devote  his  whole  time  to  visiting  the  theatres,  looking 
for  first-run  films.  In  this  way  about  50 (U  of  the  films  are  seen. 
The  letter  received  from  San  Francisco  goes  on  to  say: 

“The  percentage  of  revisions  and  condemnations  has 
been  sufficient  to  cause  the  film  companies  to  exercise  great 
care  in  the  character  of  the  product  released,  and  a'  couple 
of  fines  and  convictions  in  the  Police  Courts  have  made  the 
exhibitors  careful  as  to  the  subject  matter  which  they  pre- 
sent. The  result  has  been  a decided  improvement  in  the 
tone  of  the  pictures  released,  and  conditions  on  the  whole 
are  greatly  improved.  However,  there  is  much  to  be  wished 
for;  under  the  present  system  we  can  only  hope  to  curb  the 


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tendency  toward  bad  pictures  rather  than  absolutely  control 
\ the  class  of  pictures  which  are  shown  to  the  public.  In 
other  words,  under  the  present  ordinance  we  are  simply  act- 
ing as  a rather  effective  check  on  the  tendency  toward 
licentious  and  sensational  pictures.” 

Los  Angeles. 

There  is  an  Advisory  Hoard  of  five  members.  Apparently 
no  attempt  is  now  made  to  view  all  films  before  exhibition.  Ip 
his  annual  message,  January,  1913,  the  Mayor  makes  the  follow- 
ing recommendations: 

1.  Enlarge  the  Board  to  seven  members. 

2.  Have  a salaried  secretary  (preferably  a member  of 

the  Board). 

3.  Require  all  film  exchanges  to  file  "with  the  Board  a 

list  of  titles  of  pictures  to  be  shown,  and  to  show 
the  film  itself  if  so  ordered. 

4.  Require  a permit  or  certificate  for  each  film. 

5.  Censor  all  posters,  pictures,  etc.,  exhibited  in  con- 

nection with  moving  picture  shows. 

6.  Provide  a license  fee  that  will  cover  the  Board’s 

expenses. 

Kansas  City. 

The  new  Kansas  City  ordinance  reads  as  follows: 

Be  it  ordained  by  the  Common  Council  of  Kansas  City: 

Section  1.  No  person,  firm  or  corporation  shall  exhibit 
any  obscene  or  immoral  pictures  in  Kansas  City,  or  rent, 
sell  or  give  the  same  to  any  other  persons,  firm  or  corpora- 
tion for  the  purpose  of  exhibition. 

Section  2.  There  is  hereby  created  the  position  of 
Censor  of  Films  and  Pictures  to  be  exhibited,  or  about  to 
be  exhibited,  in  Kansas  City,  Missouri.  The  Mayor  shall 
appoint  such  Censor.  Such  Censor  shall  receive  for  his 
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services  the  sum  of  One  Hundred  Dollars  ($100.00)  per 
month,  payable  semi-monthly,  as  other  city  employes  are 
paid.  There  is  also  hereby  created  a Board  of  Appeals  to 
consist  of  three  members  to  be  appointed  by  the  Mayor. 
Said  members  of  the  Board  of  Appeals  shall  serve  without 
pay.  One  of  them  shall  be  appointed  for  a term  of  one 
year,  one  for  a term  of  two  years,  and  one  for  a term  of 
three  years,  and  they  shall  hold  until  their  successors  are 
appointed  and  qualified.  Whenever  the  term  of  any  member 
expires,  another  member  shall  be  appointed  to  serve  a 
term  of  three  years.  Any  person,  firm  or  corporation  ag- 
grieved by  any  action  taken  by  the  Censors  may  take  an 
appeal  to  the  said  Board  of  Appeals,  which  Board  shall, 
without  delay,  pass  upon  such  appeal,  and  the  decision  of 
said  Board  shall  be  final. 

Section  3.  Except  as  hereinafter  provided,  no  person, 
firm  or  corporation  shall  exhibit,  rent,  sell  or  give  to  any 
other  person,  firm  or  corporation  for  exhibition,  any  picture 
or  moving  picture  film  unless  the  same  has  been  approved 
by  said  Censor.  Films  or  pictures  which  have  been  ap- 
proved by  any  Censor  or  Board  of  Censors  recognized  and 
approved  by  the  Board  of  Appeals  provided  for  in  this  ordi- 
nance, may  be  exhibited  without  the  approval  of  the  Censor 
or  Board  of  Appeals.  But  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Censor 
or  Board  of  Appeals  at  any  time  when  such  Censor  or  such 
Board  of  Appeals  shall  find  that  any  film  or  picture  approved 
by  such  Censor  or  Board  of  Censors,  or  any  other  Censor  or 
Boards  of  Censors,  are  obscene  or^  immoral,  to  is^sue  an 
order  to  the  person,  firm  or  corporation  in  whose  possession 
such  film  or  picture  is  at  the  time,  forbidding  the  exhibition 
of  such  film  or  picture,  and  such  film  or  picture  shall  not 
thereafter  be  exhibited  in  Kansas  City  unless  such  order  is 


thereafter  revoked  by  said  Censor  or  Hoard  of  Appeals. 

Section  4.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Censor  upon  the 
request  of  any  person,  firm  or  corporation  desiring  to  exhibit 
any  film  or  picture,  or  to  rent,  sell,  or  give  the  same  to  any 
other  person,  firm  or  corporation  for  exhibiting,  to  proceed 
twenty-four  (24)  hours  after  the  receipt  of  such  request  to 
examine  such  film  or  picture,  and  if  such  film  or  picture  is 
not  obscene  or  immoral,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Censor 
to  certify  his  approval  thereof  and  deliver  such  certificate 
to  the  person  requesting  the  same. 

Section  5.  Any  person,  firm  or  corporation  violating 
any  of  the  provisions  of  this  ordinance  shall,  upon  convic- 
tion, be  fined  not  less  than  one  dollar  ($1.00)  or  more  than 
five  hundred  dollars  ($500.00)  for  each  offense,  and  each 
exhibition  of  any  picture  forbidden  by  this  ordinance  to  be 
exhibited  shall  constitute  a separate  offense. 

Section  6.  If  any  person,  firm  or  corporation  engaged  in 
the  business  of  exhibiting  pictures  or  films  shall  be  con- 
victed of  a violation  of  any  of  the  provisions  of  this  ordi- 
nance, then  in  addition  to  the  penalty  prescribed  by  this 
ordinance  the  license  of  such  person,  firm  or  corporation 
to  engage  in  such  business  may  be  revoked  by  said  Board  of 
Appeals  upon  reasonable  notice  and  after  a hearing,  and  no 
license  shall  thereafter  be  issued  to  such  person,  firm  or 
corporation  until  such  order  or  revocation  is  revoked,  how- 
ever, until  a hearing  shall  have  been  had  before  the  Board 
of  Appeals  in  the  matter  of  the  revocation  of  such  license. 
At  least  five  days’  notice  shall  be  given  of  such  hearing. 
Such  notice  shall  be  in  writing  and  served  on  the  holder  of 
such  license  by  delivery  of  such  notice  to  such  holder,  or 
by  mailing  a copy  thereof  to  the  place  of  business  of  such 
holder. 


— 12  — 


Berkeley,  Cal. 

The  Berkeley  ordinance  is  very  much  like  that  in  force  in 
San  Francisco,  except  that  it  does  not  go  as  far.  The  Advisory 
Committee  consists  of  the  Police  Chief,  the  Truant  officer,  and 
a third  person  apointed  by  the  Council.  This  committee  has 
the  right  of  free  entry  to  theatres,  but  apparently  no  censoring 
is  done  before  the  films  are  shown  to  the  public. 

Ohio. 

The  new  Ohio  law,  approved  May  3,  1913,  is  as  follows: 
(House  Bill  No.  322.) 

AN  ACT. 

Providing  a board  to  censor  motioir  picture  films 
and  prescribing  the  duties  and  power  of  the 
same. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Ohio: 

Section  1.  There  is  created,  under  the  authority  and 
supervision  of  the  industrial  commission  of  Ohio,  a board 
of  censors  of  motion  picture  films.  Upon  the  taking  effect 
of  this  act,  the  industrial  commission  shall  appoint,  with 
the  approval  of  the  governor,  three  persons,  one  for  one  year, 
one  for  two  years,  and  one  for  three  years,  who  shall  con- 
stitutue  such  board.  Upon  the  expiration  of  the  term  of 
each  member  so  appointed  a successor  shall  be  appointed  in 
like  manner  for  a term  of  three  years. 

Section  2.  The^  industrial  commission  shall  furnish 
the  board  of  censors  with  suitable  office  rooms,  and  with 
sufficient  equipment  to  properly  carry  out  the  provisions  of 
this  act.  The  board  of  censors  may  organize  by  electing 
one  of  its  members  as  president.  The  secretary  of  the 
industrial  commission  shall  act  as  secretary  of  the  board. 
Each  member  of  the  board  of  censors  shall  receive  an  annual 
salary  of  one  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  per  year.  Such 


— 13  — 


salary  and  expenses  shall  in  no  case  exceed  the  fees  paid  to 
the  Ohio  board  of  censors  for  examination  and  approval  of 
motion  picture  films. 

The  members  of  the  board  shall  be  considered  as  em- 
ployees of  the  industrial  commission,  and  shall  be  paid  as 
other  employees  of  such  commission  are  paid.  The  indus- 
trial commission  shall  appoint  such  other  assistants  as  may 
be  necessary  to  carry  on  the  work  of  the  board. 

Section  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  board  of  censors 
to  examine  and  censor  as  herein  provided,  all  motion  picture 
films  to  be  publicly  exhibited  and  displayed  in  the  state  of 
Ohio.  Such  films  shall  be  submitted  to  the  board  before 
they  shall  be  delivered  to  the  exhibitor  for  exhibition.  The 
board  shall  charge  a fee  of  one  ($1.00)  dollar  for  each  reel 
of  film  to  be  censored  which  does  not  exceed  one  thousand 
(1000)  lineal  feet;  for  any  reel  of  film  exceeding  one  thou- 
sand (1000)  lineal  feet,  the  sum  of  two  ($2.00)  dollars  shall 
be  charged.  All  moneys  so  received  shall  be  paid  each 
week  into  the  state  treasury  to  the  credit  of  the  general 
revenue  fund. 

Section  4.  Only  such  films  as  are  in  the  judgment  and 
discretion  of  the  board  of  censors  of  a moral,  educational 
or  amusing  and  harmless  character  shall  be  passed  and  ap- 
proved by  such  board.  They  shall  be  stamped  or  designated 
in  an  appropriate  manner  and  consecutively  numbered.  Be- 
fore any  motion  picture  film  shall  be  publicly  exhibited, 
there  shall  be  projected  upon  the  screen  the  words,  “Ap- 
proved by  the  Ohio  Board  of  Censors,”  and  the  number  of 
the  film. 

Section  5.  The  board  of  censors  may  work  in  conjunc- 
tion with  any  censor  board  or  boards  of  legal  status  of  other 
states  as  a censor  congress,  and  the  action  of  such  congress 


— 14  — 


in  approving  or  rejecting  films  shall  be  considered  as  the 
action  of  the  board,  and  all  films  passed,  approved,  stamped 
and  numbered  by  such  congress,  when  the  fees  therefor 
have  been  paid  to  the.  Ohio  board,  shall  be  considered  ap- 
proved by  such  board. 

Section  6.  Ninety  days  after  this  act  shall  take  effect 
no  films  may  be  publicly  shown  or  exhibited  within  the  state 
of  Ohio  unless  they  have  been  passed  and  approved  by  the 
board  or  the  censor  congress,  and  stamped  and  numbered 
by  such  board,  or  congress,  as  provided  for  herein. 

Section  7.  Any  person,  firm  or  corporation  who  shall 
publicly  exhibit  or  show  any  motion  picture  within  the  state 
of  Ohio  unless  it  shall  have  been  passed,  approved  and 
stamped  by  the  Ohio  board  of  censors,  or  the  congress  of 
censors,  shall,  upon  conviction  thereof,  be  fined  not  less  than 
twenty-five  ($25.00)  dollars  nor  more  than  three  hundred 
($300.00)  dollars,  or  imprisoned  not  less  than  thirty  days 
nor  more  than  one  year,  or  both,  for  each  offense. 

Section  8.  Any  persons  in  interest  being  dissatisfied 
with  any  order  of  such  board,  shall  have  the  same  rights 
and  remedies  as  to  filing  a petition  for  hearing  on  the  rea- 
sonableness and  lawfulness  of  any  order  of  such  board,  or  to 
set  aside,  vacate  or  amend  any  order  of  such  board  as  is 
provided  in  the  case  of  persons  dissatisfied  with  the  orders 
of  the  Industrial  Commission. 

Quebec  (Province),  Canada. 

Regarding  the  system  in  the  province  of  Quebec,  the  Cana- 
dian press  says.: 

“No  murders,  no  attacks  on  any  religious  body,  no 
burglaries,  no  highway  robberies,  in  fact,  no  presentation 
wherein  vice  or  violence  in  any  form  figures — such  is  the 
rule  which  will  be  followed  by  the  newly  created  Quebec 


(Canada)  Hoard  of  Moving  Picture  Film  Censors.  Commo- 
dious quarters  in  the  downtown  section  have  been  fitted  up, 
and  promise  to  be  the  most  up-to-date  of  any  of  the  boards 
of  provincial  censors  throughout  Canada. 

The  censors  will  deal  only  with  the  16  film  exchanges 
located  in  the  city,  it  being  incumbent  upon  the  show  pro- 
prietors to  see  that  each  film  is  approved  before  being 
rented  from  the  exchanges.  The  penalty  attached  to  the 
exhibition  of  an  unapproved  film  will  be  a fine  varying 
from  $50  to  $200,  along  with  the  cancellation  of  the  moving- 
picture  show  proprietor’s  license.  The  censor  board  will 
be  engaged  in  active  work  within  a few  days,  so  that  by 
April  15  or  20  the  film  exchanges  throughout  the  city  will 
be  supplied  with  censored  films.  Each  film  passed  will  be 
stamped,  while  a certificate  in  film  form  will  be  attached 
to  each  reel.  This  will  be  thrown  upon  the  screen  in  every 
house  where  this  film  is  exhibited,  and  the  provincial  reve- 
nue police  will  be  requisitioned  to  see  that  no  films  are 
shown  without  being  first  approved  by  the  censors. 

The  censors’  examining  bureau  will  comprise  a fully 
equipped  theatre  on  a small  scale,  with  the  most  up-to-date 
film  apparatus  obtainable.  The  powers  of  the  censors  will 
permit  them  to  reject  any  film,  or  to  expurgate  any  portions 
which  they  consider  objectionable.” 

Breslau,  Germany. 

Here  films  are  subject  to  police  censorship.  They  are  run 
on  a machine  at  police  headquarters,  and  if  necessary  are  cut 
out  in  part  or  entirely.  The  supervision  includes  the  printed 
programs  and  everything  connected  with  the  show.  Censorship 
has  strengthened  the  good  theatres  and  weeded  out  the  bad. 
Germany  (Kingdom  of  Bavaria). 

The  Kingdom  of  Bavaria  has  a board  of  censorship,  the 
— 16  — 


/ 


power  being  vested  in  the  Royal  Police  Commission  of  the  City 
of  Munich.  All  films  exhibited  anywhere  in  Bavaria  must  be 
approved  by  the  board.  The  films  are  actually  exhibited  before 
approval,  and  when  the  board  passes  them,  cards  are  issued 
which  must  be  presented  to  the  local  authorities,  who  then  give 
permits  for  exhibition. 

The  City  of  Nuremburg  has  adopted  lengthy  rules  in  con- 
formity with  the  above.  These  rules  provide  that,  even  if  the 
film  has  been  approved  by  the  Royal  Police  Commission  at 
Munich,  the  local  authorities  may  prohibit  its  exhibition,  if  it 
seems  unsuitable.  A list  of  all  pictures  to  be  shown  has  to  be 
submitted  to  the  authorities  for  examination.  This  shows  how 
strict  the  censorship  provisions  are  in  Germany. 


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